Cohort study, 1992
Do women with premenstrual syndrome experience their family and work environments differently?
Yes. Women with PMS reported more conflict in their families and more stress at work, including less autonomy and variety, though psychological distress was not related to these environmental stressors.
What they did
Researchers compared 73 women with prospectively confirmed PMS to 50 women without PMS. Both groups completed questionnaires measuring family climate, work environment, anxiety, and depression.
What they found
Women with PMS scored significantly higher on family conflict and emphasis on ethical and religious values but lower on emotional expressiveness, intellectual-cultural activities, and recreational activities compared to controls. The PMS group also perceived more work pressure, less autonomy at work, and less job variety. Psychological distress was not associated with environmental stress in either group.
What it means for you
Women with PMS may perceive their social environments as more stressful, though it is unclear whether this reflects real differences in their environments or differences in perception. The main limitation is that this is observational without control for other factors that might influence responses.
73
women with PMS
50
control women without PMS
About the study
- Original title
- Perception of family and work environments in women with premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- Kuczmierczyk AR, Labrum AH, Johnson CC
- Journal
- Journal of psychosomatic research
- Year
- 1992
- Study design
- Cohort study
- What was tested
- None. This was a comparison study.
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(92)90137-q
Topics
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